Although gold is the subject of one of the most ancient themes of investigation in science, its renaissance now leads to an exponentially increasing number of publications, especially in the context of emerging nanoscience and nanotechnology with nanoparticles and self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). We will limit the present review to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), also called gold colloids. AuNPs are the most stable metal nanoparticles, and they present fascinating aspects such as their assembly of multiple types involving materials science, the behavior of the individual particles, size-related electronic, magnetic and optical properties (quantum size effect), and their applications to catalysis and biology. Their promises are in these fields as well as in the bottom-up approach of nanotechnology, and they will be key materials and building block in the 21st century. Whereas the extraction of gold started in the 5th millennium B.C. near Varna (Bulgaria) and reached 10 tons per year in Egypt around 1200-1300 B.C. when the marvelous statue of Touthankamon was constructed, it is probable that “soluble” gold appeared around the 5th or 4th century B.C. in Egypt and China. In antiquity, materials were used in an ecological sense for both aesthetic and curative purposes. Colloidal gold was used to make ruby glass 293 Chem. Rev. 2004, 104, 293−346

Gold nanoparticles: assembly, supramolecular chemistry, quantum-size-related properties, and applications toward biology, catalysis, and nanotechnology.

Polydopamine and Its Derivative Materials: Synthesis and Promising Applications in Energy, Environmental, and Biomedical Fields

Approaches, Derivatives and Applications Vasilios Georgakilas,† Michal Otyepka,‡ Athanasios B. Bourlinos,‡ Vimlesh Chandra, Namdong Kim, K. Christian Kemp, Pavel Hobza,‡,§,⊥ Radek Zboril,*,‡ and Kwang S. Kim* †Institute of Materials Science, NCSR “Demokritos”, Ag. Paraskevi Attikis, 15310 Athens, Greece ‡Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic Center for Superfunctional Materials, Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology, San 31, Hyojadong, Namgu, Pohang 790-784, Korea Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Flemingovo naḿ. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic

Functionalization of Graphene: Covalent and Non-Covalent Approaches, Derivatives and Applications

Graphene has attracted tremendous research interest in recent years, owing to its exceptional properties. The scaled-up and reliable production of graphene derivatives, such as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), offers a wide range of possibilities to synthesize graphene-based functional materials for various applications. This critical review presents and discusses the current development of graphene-based composites. After introduction of the synthesis methods for graphene and its derivatives as well as their properties, we focus on the description of various methods to synthesize graphene-based composites, especially those with functional polymers and inorganic nanostructures. Particular emphasis is placed on strategies for the optimization of composite properties. Lastly, the advantages of graphene-based composites in applications such as the Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, photovoltaic devices, photocatalysis, as well as Raman enhancement are described (279 references).

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Graphene-based composites

We review the present state of polymer nanocomposites research in which the fillers are single-wall or multiwall carbon nanotubes. By way of background we provide a brief synopsis about carbon nanotube materials and their suspensions. We summarize and critique various nanotube/polymer composite fabrication methods including solution mixing, melt mixing, and in situ polymerization with a particular emphasis on evaluating the dispersion state of the nanotubes. We discuss mechanical, electrical, rheological, thermal, and flammability properties separately and how these physical properties depend on the size, aspect ratio, loading, dispersion state, and alignment of nanotubes within polymer nanocomposites. Finally, we summarize the current challenges to and opportunities for efficiently translating the extraordinary properties of carbon nanotubes to polymer matrices in hopes of facilitating progress in this emerging area.

Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Carbon Nanotubes

A simple chemical process for the simultaneous polymerization and oxidation of pyrrole, N-substituted pyrroles, and other heterocycles having five or six member rings by halogenic or organic electron acceptors. The polypyrrole-acceptor charge transfer complexes so produced are of high purity and are stable in the atmosphere, in the presence of moisture and at elevated temperatures. The conductivities of the complexes are controllable between 30 ohm -1 cm -1 and 10 -3 ohm-1 cm-1, depending on the type of acceptor used and the process conditions.

Chemical synthesis of stable and electroactive polypyrrole and related polyheterocyclic compounds

Amphiphilic comb-shaped 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-graft-poly(styrene)-block-poly(poly (ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate) (P(HEMA)–g–PS–b–P(PEGMA)) copolymer brushes, covalently tethered on Si(100) substrate, have been successfully prepared by (i) UV-induced hydrosilylation of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) with the hydrogen-terminated Si(100) (Si–VBC surface), (ii) surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) to give the Si–VBC–g–P(HEMA) surface, (iii) coupling of 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide with the HEMA units via esterification to provide the comb-shaped macroinitiators (Si–VBC–g–P(HEMA)–R3Br) for the subsequent ATRP, (iv) surface-initiated ATRP of styrene (St) to produce the Si–VBC–g–P(HEMA)–g–PS surface, and (v) the persisting of an active PS chain end can be used as the initiator for the subsequent ATRP of poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) to give the amphiphilic Si–VBC–g–P(HEMA)–g–PS–b–P(PEGMA) brush surface. The chemical composition and functionality of the silicon surface were tailored by the well-defined comb-shaped PS and P (PEGMA) brushes.

AMPHIPHILIC COMB-SHAPED DIBLOCK POLYMER BRUSHES ON Si(100) SUBSTRATES VIA SURFACE-INITIATED ATOM TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

Biomimetic Anchors for Antifouling Polymer Brush Coatings

Surface Graft Copolymerization Enhanced Lamination of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Film to Copper and Epoxy-Based Print Circuit Board (PCB)

The process for the recovery of precious metals from acid solutions by electroactive polymers is spontaneous and self-sustained and enables a precious metal such as gold to be recovered from an acid solution containing the metal in solution. The said acid solution is treated with an electroactive polymer such as polyaniline to cause reduction of the metal in solution to the free metal and allowing the free metal to precipitate from the solution and accumulate as the reduction progresses.

En-Tang Kang

Papers

Chemical synthesis of stable and electroactive polypyrrole and related polyheterocyclic compounds

AMPHIPHILIC COMB-SHAPED DIBLOCK POLYMER BRUSHES ON Si(100) SUBSTRATES VIA SURFACE-INITIATED ATOM TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

Biomimetic Anchors for Antifouling Polymer Brush Coatings

Surface Graft Copolymerization Enhanced Lamination of Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) Film to Copper and Epoxy-Based Print Circuit Board (PCB)

Recovery of precious metals from acid solutions by electroactive polymers